This hike is gentle, focusing less on altitude gain and more on wide-open views and quiet forest paths. The hills above Valbonë form a natural terrace along the north-western slopes of the valley, overlooking both the riverbed and the rugged south-eastern wall of the peaks above the Valbona Valley. As you pass through mixed forests and open stretches, you’ll get varied perspectives of the valley and the distant peaks that define the dramatic skyline of the Accursed Mountains.

Starting from the center of Valbonë, you will gently ascend out of the valley along a clearly visible and well-maintained trail. The ascent is steady but moderate, gradually gaining elevation following through meadows and forest patches.
As you reach the upper ridgelines, the terrain opens up. The views become increasingly expansive, with clear lines toward the south-eastern ridges of the park and down into the wide gravel basin of the Valbonë River. This section of the trail does not reach a dramatic peak, but the panoramic scenery and peaceful surroundings make this a rewarding hike.
After reaching the highest point of the day, around 1,300 meters above sea level, the trail begins to descend. It leads through forest and open terrain into Kukaj, with occasional views into the glacial valley to the west. The trail curves back toward the valley floor, bringing you back to your starting point in Valbonë.

• Hiking Grade: Moderate
• Technical Difficulty: T2
• Total ascent: 450 m
• Total descent 450 m
• Distance: 8 km
• Time of the hike: 3 hours (Hiking time without breaks)

The price includes:

• Emergency telephone support during the hike
• Road Book App with detailed information and route descriptions in English

The price does not include:

• Other costs and services not mentioned in the program
• Guide
• Meals
• Transportation
• Any type of Insurance

This trail starts and ends in the village of Valbona in the Albanian Alps.

Orientation:
To assist you, we provide a detailed information package, including route descriptions, digital maps and information about transportation options. All this will be available in a dedicated mobile app, which you can download to your smartphone before your adventure.

While most hiking trails are signed, some markings may be unclear or difficult to see. Certain sections might not be well-marked, and poor weather can make navigation more challenging. Good navigation skills are necessary to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

Hiking Time, Grade and Technical Difficulty:
Our tour descriptions give detailed information about terrain, technical difficulty, estimated activity times, ascent/descent in meters and distance in kilometres. We kindly ask you to read these very carefully and consider them while choosing your tour.

The estimated difficulty of hikes is given in the SAC scale, starting from T1 to T6. These grades are guidelines that must always be used in conjunction with your own experience, intuition and careful judgment. Explanations for the difficulty scale can be found here.

Estimated hiking times are given for each day. These times do vary according to the day’s weather conditions and your fitness levels. These times do not include times taken for meals and breaks. The hiking times are all calculated in accordance with the Albanian national standard for hiking trails, which is based on the Swiss Alpine Club adaptation of the DIN44366 standard.

General Information:

• Confirmation will be sent within 48 hours of booking
• Not wheelchair or stroller accessible
• Not recommended for pregnant travellers
• Not recommended for travellers with heart problems or other serious medical conditions
• Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
• For any other request or question, please write to us here

Free cancellation at any time before app download. Once the app has been downloaded, cancellations are no longer possible.